Page 2 of Promise You Forever

He releases me and pulls out his phone. I start to move past him, trying to get to my car and home so I can make arrangements. He stops me with another gentle squeeze of his hand on my arm.

“Jared?” He waits while the other person speaks. “I need the jet ready to go in an,” he pauses to look at his Rolex, “hour and a half.” Another pause. “Crested Butte, Colorado.” He looks to me to confirm, which I do with a nod of my head.

He ends the call and ushers me down toward the elevator. “I’ll drive you home and get you to the airport.”

“You don’t have to do that, Patrick.”

He holds a hand up to silence me. “You’re basically a bonus daughter to me. Don’t insult me by not allowing me to help you.”

I bite my lip, fighting back the wave of tears that threaten to fall. I can’t fall apart yet. He leads me to the passenger side of his car and opens the door to his Aston Martin. I can’t help but think of the only other man who would not only open the car door for me, but close it, too.

Lucas Stone. He has been banned from my thoughts and feelings for over three years now. I can’t relapse.

Patrick called Amber and assigned her the task of packing a bag for me. I tell her where to find a few important toiletries and remind her about what Charlie, my dog, will need. She tells me to relax and that she’s on it. I know whatever she packs will be perfect as far as clothing.

“I want you to take as much time as you need.” Patrick maneuvers his roadster through the nightmarish LA traffic with ease. “When you’re ready to come back, just let me know, and I’ll send the jet for you.”

“I can fly commercial, it’s really fine.”

He looks over at me with a raised brow that brooks no argument. I tap my finger on the glass of the window, trying to think about anything but what I’ll be facing back in Colorado. So I do what comes best to me, I make lists in my mind of what I’ll have to do.

Should I call my parents? Surely Grandpa already did. I look down at my phone, contemplating whether I have it in me.

The decision is taken from me when my phone beeps with an incoming text from my dad.

Mom passed away

Funeral is on Tuesday

I know. When will you be out?

Monday

A derisive scoff escapes me at the short exchange. No care. No love. I’m getting more of that from my best friend’s dad than my own. What if I hadn’t already known? Just dropping the death notification with no warning would have been awful.

Fuck my parents.

It’s Thursday. They aren’t coming out until the day before the funeral. I shouldn’t be surprised, yet I am.

By the time we get to the apartment, Amber has three suitcases filled for me. I do a quick scan of my bedroom and bathroom to make sure she didn’t miss anything. When I come back out into the kitchen, she’s speaking quietly to her father, her suitcase lined up next to mine. Patrick takes Charlie and walks out into the hall, presumably to let her go to the bathroom before we leave for the airport.

“What are you doing?” Hot tears sting my eyes.

“Coming with, silly. I’m not sending you back there alone to deal with this.”

“Can you take the time off from school?” She’s a second-year law student, and I know how important it is to not miss classes.

“Yeah, I don’t have class tomorrow. I should be able to stay for a few days with you.”

The tears that I had been holding back begin to overflow with gratitude. She pulls me to her for a long hug, her arms enveloping me with so much love and care.

“I love you,” she whispers into my ear.

All I can manage is a nod as I cling to her for the comfort I wish I could receive from my own family. The thought of Gramps having to deal with my aloof father during this timeis heartbreaking. I’m going to do the best I can to be a buffer between them.

We turn the lights off and lock up the apartment before heading downstairs to meet her dad. He called a driver for us since his car only has two seats. As he hands me the leash, he gives me another hug with instructions to take whatever time I needed.

A heavy weight settles over me as soon as we take off. I haven’t been back to the ranch since I left broken-hearted and in tears three years ago. Thinking about how I’m going to have to see Luke makes my stomach seize with nerves.

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